1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Global Positioning System (GPS)-based Relative Navigation Systems, and more particularly to a method for processing the relative state of the position component of an airborne navigation system.
2. Background of the Invention
A need has been found for providing a rapidly deployable, adverse weather, adverse terrain, day-night, survivable, and mobile precision approach and landing capability that supports the principles of forward presence, crisis response and mobility. The capability should enable military forces to land on any suitable surface world wide (land and sea), under both peace time and hostile conditions, with ceiling and/or visibility the limiting factor.
The Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) is an integral part of such a strategic system. JPALS is a differential GPS that provides a rapidly deployable, mobile, adverse weather, adverse terrain, day-night, and survivable precision approach and landing capability. The JPALS allows an aircraft to land on any suitable land or sea-based surface worldwide, while minimizing the impact to airfield operations, because of low ceiling or poor visibility. This approach and landing system provides the capability of performing conventional and special operations from a fixed-base, shipboard, and austere environments under a wide range of meteorological and terrain conditions.
One of the primary functions of sea-based JPALS is to determine the relative state (position, velocity and acceleration) of an airborne vehicle with respect to its assigned ship. This function is called “Relative State Function” or “Relative Navigation” (“RelNav”). Existing civil and military systems do not satisfy JPALS requirements because they have a number of shortcomings that limit joint operations. The multiplicity of systems, in and of itself, hinders inter-Service, civil, and allied operations.
Among the limitations of conventional systems, especially as applied to calculating position data of an aircraft closing in on a target, is that in order to calculate an aircraft's position, numerous measurements must taken. Certain measurement types have better accuracy but require more processing time to achieve results. Traditionally, four measurements of the same type are needed to be used in a solution; otherwise optimal solutions can not be made available. Conventional methods that use a weighted least squares position solution use only a single measurement type. Furthermore, conventional methods have been less than satisfactory when relative position estimation is needed between two moving vehicles (e.g., between an aircraft and a ship).